Evaluation

Evaluation of the collaboration process and its outcomes is essential for partners, including funders, to make the changes that are necessary to journey through the collaboration cycle and achieve shared goals. Evaluating the performance and outcomes of a collaboration is different from evaluating a program or organization. Evaluators of collaborations should be well-versed and experienced in the collaboration process and the critical success factors.

How the evaluation is conducted and what gets evaluated depends on the stage of the collaboration cycle. But within each stage there are common elements that can be evaluated:

Interactions: How well do independent stakeholders interact with one another?

Health: How healthy is the collaboration, in terms of resources (time and money); shared vision; pace of progress; and number, stability and level of engagement of partners?

Results: Is the collaboration demonstrating effective execution of critical functions, as well as interim and long-term progress toward its goals?

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About The Fund

The Fund for Our Economic Future is an alliance of funders dedicated to advancing economic growth and equitable access to opportunity for the people of Northeast Ohio by building shared community commitment, supporting high-impact collaborations and marshalling strategic funding.